Babineaux Slaughter House

1019 Babineaux Road
Breaux Bridge, LA 70517 (337) 332-1961

As purveyors of red boudin, the brothers Rodney and Larry Babineaux are the last of a dying breed in Acadiana. Also known as blood boudin, red boudin is made by mixing blood from a freshly slaughtered pig into typical Cajun white boudin filling. While the Babineauxs also sell an exceptional white boudin, for which they use the freshest meat possible, it’s the red boudin that truly sets them apart. It requires extra coordination to prepare, as a Louisiana State inspector must be present for the slaughter of all pigs whose blood is intended to enrich batches of red boudin. The brothers learned their trade, and their boudin recipes, from their parents (primarily their mother), who purchased the business in 1971 and only recently retired altogether. Rodney and Larry carry on their parents’ high standards of freshness, and also their Cajun heritage. It’s common to see an empty display case in the small market, because so much of the meat is cut to order; it’s equally common to hear Cajuns of all ages conversing with the brothers in French. Rodney didn’t even learn to speak English until he started elementary school.

Date of interview:

July 24, 2007

Interviewer:

Sara Roahen

Photographer:

Sara Roahen

I’ve got friends of mine that have made boudin, and we all clown each other about who makes the best boudin, but it doesn’t matter. ~ Rodney Babineaux